ROWING: ROWING IS facing into another extraordinary general meeting. Delegates endorsed a number of radical changes to the way the sport is run at Saturday's egm in Dublin, but the key issues of redefining the intermediate and novice grades were effectively kicked forward to another day.

Those present baulked at passing rule 7c in the rules of rowing which would have given the domestic events committee sole power to decide event status. As status is central to proposed changes in grading, this had the knock-one effect of not allowing decisions in this crucial area.

Real change comes in a number of areas: the coxed four is no longer a championship event, while the intermediate double scull is added for men and women; junior composites are no longer allowed to compete; sub-committee chairs can serve only four consecutive years before they must step aside from the specific post for four years; and sub-committees are only required to have one member of the board as an ex-officio member rather than the whole board.

Disciplinary proceedings will have another layer, and a disciplinary officer will be appointed. Delegates, however, rejected proposed changes which would make the chief executive a board member and give him/her voting rights.

They allowed that the championships committee will organise the National Championships, but passed a motion which makes the board of the union the managers of the event.The rules for the University Championships jump straight into the 21st century. Eligibility will now be in line with other sports; cups will be retained rather than given to winning universities; a complex new scoring system replaces the older one.

In other changes, branch funding will be dependent on the number of club members covered by the branch, not the number of clubs, and the international levy will be replaced by a domestic licence, the proceeds of which will go back to organising events in Ireland.

Adaptive rowing comes on board thanks to the meeting, and the proposal for limited memberships for coastal and student clubs was also passed. The proposal to make ill-mannered rowers liable to sanction was also passed.